Former Apple chief design officer, Jony Ive, has made a splash in the vinyl industry by collaborating with audio company Linn to create a $60,000 turntable. Ive’s design firm, LoveFrom, joined forces with Linn to develop a new model of the Sondek LP12 turntable in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Limited to only 250 units, the special edition LP12-50 will be available from August 2023 to March 2024.
The hefty price tag of this anniversary turntable raises questions about what makes it worth the cost compared to the average turntable, which typically ranges from $150 to $1,000. In terms of appearance, the LP12-50 remains largely unchanged, apart from slightly rounded corners and an aluminum power button replacing the plastic rocker. Ive intentionally refrained from making significant modifications, citing concerns about potentially compromising the sound quality. However, he acknowledged that there were areas for small improvements and subtle refinements.
Ive shared with FastCompany, “When it’s such a broadly recognized and respected icon, and elements of the design are familiar, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re optimal.” He continued, “Particularly when you have products that do assume that status of becoming iconic, and have that sort of cultural resonance, it’s easy to assume that they are beyond improvement. And this is a particularly challenging design problem to respectfully evaluate the product.”
Notably, LoveFrom did not set the price for the turntable. Linn took charge of determining the cost, while LoveFrom created the LP12-50 as a pro bono project without signing any contractual or financial agreements with the audio company. Linn’s CEO, Gilad Tiefenbrun, expressed his enthusiasm about working with Ive, highlighting the mutual excitement that surrounded their initial conversation.
As vinyl continues to experience a resurgence in popularity, this collaboration between LoveFrom and Linn showcases the intersection of design and audio technology. The limited-edition LP12-50 promises to be a collectors’ item for audiophiles and design enthusiasts alike.